Personals care articles are well known in the art. Classically the process of cleansing skin or other surfaces has employed a surfactant composition. Sometimes an implement has joined the composition. Articles such as articles or pads serve a multi-purpose including acting as delivery package for the surfactant. Articles may also assist in generating foam. They also function as an abrasive assisting in the cleansing function.
References in the art disclose the use of inflatable chambers in disposable absorbent articles. These articles are used to acquire and hold body exudates to eliminate leakage of body exudates from between the absorbent article and the wearer. The drawback is that none disclose the use of surfactant or cleansing articles that produce lather. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,520 issued to Ahr et al. on Dec. 17, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,045 issued to Wise et al. on Jul. 23, 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,491 and 3,921,232 issued to Whyte on May 6, 1975 and Nov. 25, 1975, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,393 (Gergely) describes a cleaning article formed of a porous flexible sheet, especially a cellulosic paper, impregnated with detergent and a gas-generating system. The latter is formed by separating an acidic component such as citric acid from a basic component such as sodium carbonate in two separate areas of the sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,703 (Haq), U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,620 (Lloyd et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,069 (Haq et al.) all describe wiping articles impregnated with surfactant. These do not contain any effervescent ingredients.
WO 97/43366 (Askew et al.) reports an effervescent system to improve dispensability of granular laundry detergent powders into wash water of automatic washing machines. Citric acid and bicarbonate combinations are employed to generate effervescence.
WO 99/48469 (Yagnik et al.) discloses powdered compositions some of which may be delivered via a tea bag. These compositions are formulated with an exothermic ingredient, a pH adjusting agent such as citric acid, optionally sodium bicarbonate for an effervescent effect and an aromatic ingredient for fragrance.
U.S. Pat. Application 2003/0064042A1 (Bergquist), discloses a pouch or envelope-like articles comprising effervescent cleansing composition capable of generating a foam upon contact with water; and a envelope formed of first and second water insoluble sheets, at least one being water permeable, the first and second sheets forming there between an area housing the cleansing composition, the second substrate comprising a non-woven sheet selected from the group consisting of meltblown, spunbond and sheet combinations.
U.S. Pat. Application 2003/0063136A1 (Bergquist), discloses a curvilinear pouch or envelope wherein the hydroentangled fibers are entangled in a direction perpendicular to a major longitudinal axis of the web, and an effervescent cleanser composition.
Common to those of the aforementioned systems is the employment of effervescent anhydrous powders within the article for generating gas and foam when immersed in water or when a capsule is broken within the article. The generation of gas by the effervescent powders creates an article where the gases produced by the effervescent composition are transmitted through the article that then comes into contact with the skin or surface being cleansed. Because of the loss of gas from the interior, effervescent gas production must continue in order to replenish the lost gases. The article tends to sting the users skin and eyes and also has a dissatisfying taste if used near the face, particularly the regions around the mouth. Additionally the presence of the effervescent gases decreases the lather productivity of the surfactant system used by these articles.
Thus, a need exists for a self-inflating personal care article having a component that is durably expandable. Additionally, a need exists for a personal care article with an impermeable layer so that the gas evolving composition does not come to the surface and contact the users skin or other keratinous surfaces while at the same time provides for a superior article that has increased thickness, rigidity and handleability with a cleansing composition that provides increased lather and improved skin appearance and feel. The article should be able to be taken in or out of the shower without affecting the gas evolving composition.